Indentured Servants v. Slaves in the
Colonial Period
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Coercive labor is
labor that is
coerced… no
really.
Basically it
means labor or
work that is
gained through
use of force or
threats.
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www.dictionary.com
defines “indentured
servants” as:
(noun American History ) a
person who came to America and
was placed under contract to work
for another over a period of time,
usually seven years, especially
during the 17th to 19th centuries.
Generally, indentured servants
included redemptioners, victims of
religious or political persecution,
persons kidnapped for the purpose,
convicts, and paupers.
 Origin:
1665–75
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People were required to do four to seven years
of work for free passage to the Americas.
Unlike slavery, indentured servants were
granted their freedom after fulfilling their
obligated service.
Initially created after failing to force native
people into slavery.
The servants were often failures in Europecriminals, political prisoners, orphans, and/or
unemployed.
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Strived to be independent artisans or planters.
Some became prominent figures, however,
most died from disease or overwork before
gaining freedom.
Those that did survive usually found meager
employment.
Commonly worked in the same areas of slaves.
Many refused to go to the Caribbean
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www.dictionary.com
defines slaves as:
–noun
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1. a person who is the
property of and wholly
subject to another; a bond
servant.
2. a person entirely under
the domination of some
influence or person.
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Most slaves were African, although some were the
captured Native Americans
The continuing demand for African slave labor
arose from the development of plantation
agriculture
Triangle Trade from west Africa to Caribbean to
Europe.
Slaves were considered property (not people).
Was especially prevalent in the southern British
colonies in America (Virginia, Georgia, South
Carolina, North Carolina, etc.) and on plantations
in Latin and South America.
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The slaves were treated brutally from ship to
shore.
Slaves were packed until they had little to no room
to move while being transported.
Slaves were taken against their will.
By 1750 120,000 black slaves tilled Chesapeake
tobacco, and another 180,000 cultivated Carolina
rice.
Mostly worked on tobacco, sugar cane, and cotton
plantations
Slaves were seen as a resource to the plantation
owners and a trade commodity to the slave traders
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The gender ratio was very off-balance due to
higher demand for male slaves.
Type of Work/Conditions
Slaves had absolutely no say in what kind of work
they were to do
Sometimes slaves worked from sunrise to sunset
with small if any breaks.
They worked on plantations, fields, common
house work or all three.
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Compare and Contrast the labor systems in
colonial America – Indentured Servants v.
Slaves – using a Y-Chart or Venn Diagram